6 Anime Like Claymore [Updated Recommendations]

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Imagine yourself in a world where everyone was against you for being different. No matter what you tried to do to make everything better, the community turned a blind eye to it all. Now you're stuck in this mental abyss, wondering what direction you're headed in, with no support to guide you. This pathway through darkness is what Clare had to experience on her journey in order to discover her true purpose. The world will not always take your side, so you need to stand tall and take care of things yourself. In our six list like Claymore, we'll be taking a closer look at characters who've dealt with a troubled past, and must now walk alone on their path to salvation. If you'd like to see our previous list for this rewrite of six anime similar to Claymore, be sure to check it out down below!


Similar Anime to Claymore

1. Berserk

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: October 8, 1997 - April 1, 1998

After a run-in with the Band of the Hawk, a very strong troop of mercenaries, Guts is recruited by their larger than life leader Griffith, nicknamed the "White Hawk." As he quickly climbed the ranks in order to become the head of the offensive unit, Guts proves to be a mighty addition to Griffith's force, taking Midland by surprise. However, while the band's quest for recognition continues, Guts slowly realizes that the world is not as black-and-white as he once assumed. The story of Berserk is a dark, gritty tale that follows one man's struggle to find his own path, while supporting another's lust for power, and the unfathomable tragedy that begins to turn the wheels of fate.

Guts is a man who is determined to survive by any means, throughout every battle he encounters, whether it be on the battlefield or within. Day in and day out he puts his life on the line to make sure that he gets by, moving on from one bloodshed to the next. His life is a constant cycle of ups and downs, but his tenacity to continue moving forward toward the light is something we can admire. Clare and Guts are very similar because they're two characters who were both ridiculed and thrown out of their society, with their sword in hand as the only answer. They had to fight their way back out of the trenches with every ounce of strength in their body, protecting those who mean everything to them. Both characters show raw power, and tenacity when faced with danger and never give up despite their odds. Be sure to check out the recent 2016 update to the Berserk franchise as well, as it continues from the last installment with more action!


2. D.Gray Man Hallow

  • Episodes: 103
  • Aired: October 3, 2006 - September 30, 2008

Allen must deal with his past nightmares, and confront a much darker future, as the evil Millennium Earl plots to destroy the entire existence of humanity with his creation of Akuma. This incredible weapon uses the souls of the dead which are then trapped within it until the use of Innocence, an Anti-Akuma weapon, releases them from their prison. After spending a number of years under the guidance of General Cross, Allen decides to enlist himself with The Black Order in hopes to prevent Earl's evil reign of terror, while using his new weapons to bring peace back to the souls that have been tormented.

Allen much like Clare had trouble fitting in with society due to their differences. Many ridiculed them for their flaws, and never displayed any care for their well being. It reminded us of the ugly ducking story where the duck was never accepted in the beginning, but through an incredible transformation, was able win over the hearts of those who initially didn't care. Clare and Allen put everything on the line in order to destroy the evil that was about to terrorize their town, and didn't care whether people liked it or not. Their mission was to eradicate evil and to bring peace into a world that was full of corruption and cruelty.

D.Gray Man Hallow Trailer


3. Blassreiter

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: April 6, 2008 - September 28, 2008

Blassreiter is a sci-fi action anime which takes place in a fictional Germany. Joseph Jobson, the main protagonist is out to destroy the outbreak of biochemical creatures called “Demoniacs”, which have the ability to fuse with most technological advancements, such as motorbikes, and greatly intensify the overall performance of the vehicle. XAT, which stands for Xenogenesis Assault Team are the ones who eventually help to secure peace from the destruction of the Demoniacs, but to also discover the truth behind their unknown abilities. It's Joseph's job to survive while at the same time learning how to control the biochemical curse that lives within him.

Joseph was an experiment that went wrong, and now his body has become half-human and half-demoniac. Similar to Clare's situation, the two just couldn't fit in with society and were chased out for not being entirely human. They now had to use their powers which were created by the enemy against them, in order to stop a major threat that could destroy the planet. The two never asked for their powers, and were thrown into the gauntlet to figure out why it all turned out the way it did. Both of them make use of a sword with immense power, and slash their way through enemies clean like butter. There's nothing but action in every scene that will leave you cheering for the underdog, to ensure that peace is restored not only around them, but within them as well.

Blassreiter Trailer



Any Anime Like Claymore?

4. Canaan

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: July 4, 2009 - September 26, 2009

Maria is a Japanese photographer currently working in Shanghai, China. Along with her partner Mino, she searches for potential newsworthy stories throughout the city. When really odd events take place at a local festival, Maria and Mino decide to investigate. Quickly, the two are immersed in a battle between unknown masked men and a strange, white-haired woman. Just when Maria is about to be caught in the barrage of bullets, an old friend by the name of Canaan appears and helps Maria escape unharmed. But a sinister plot over a deadly virus soon develops, and Canaan learns she must face up to her dark past if she wants any chance at stopping the perpetrator and saving her friends.

Canaan and Clare have a lot in common where the two have acquired a superhuman ability that allows them to kill their enemies with ease, and recover very quickly. They have male roles who assist them along their journey, acting more as a supporter more than the attacker. The two have a very dark and cold exterior which comes from their grim past, and now the two must learn to overcome the darkness within in order to find focus. Their inner rage comes out in their battles as it becomes their only outlet to unleash their pain onto the world, while trying to collect as much data as possible about their upbringing.


5. Pandora Hearts

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: April 3, 2009 - September 25, 2009

Based on the supernatural fantasy manga of the same name, Pandora Hearts tells the story of fifteen-year-old Oz's journey to discover the meaning behind the eerie events that have become a burden on his life. Teaming up with a mysterious Chain named Alice, whose nickname is "Bloodstained Black Rabbit," and members of a clandestine organization known as "Pandora," Oz begins to notice that his existence may have more meaning than he could have ever imagined.

The major similarity with all of the anime on this list is that, each main character has gone through some sort of life changing experience that they now have to discover more about. Clare's past was filled with confusion and despair, while Oz must come to terms with how his entire life was a mere experiment and why he was chosen out of everyone. Two characters must deal with a huge conundrum, and they must scour every path they walk on for every piece of information they need in order to uncover the truth. Every direction that is taken is one that either leads them closer to their answer, or one that puts their strength to the test. Oz experiences many dark flashbacks which only cause more pain, much like Clare, but the two must learn to understand why these flashbacks continue to repeat themselves and seek the truth.

Pandora Hearts Trailer


6. Black Bullet

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: April 8, 2014 - July 1, 2014

To overcome the threat that the Gastrea pose, "Cursed Children", who are essentially female children whose bodies contain trace amounts of the virus which grant them superhuman abilities, are given partners called Promoters. These are individuals who dedicate their time and energy to guide and protect the young Initiators. These teams of two are sent out on missions to fight the monsters created by the Gastrea virus and keep them at bay. The story of Black Bullet revolves around the strong team of Enju, an Initiator, and Satomi, a Promoter, as they go on missions to fight the growing threat of Gastrea in their hometown of Tokyo, while uncovering the truths behind why this ordeal is happening.

Enju's body was tainted with the very same virus that she must now eliminate, and so she teams up with other individuals in order to destroy the threat before it spreads. Clare and Enju are essentially half and half, which means that they resemble that of a regular human, but now have the superhuman ability of the enemy as their wild card. The two never asked to be in the position they were in, and so their entire existence solely relies on having to fight for the peace of all society, while having to deal with a misfortune that were forced on them without their consent. Many people considered them to be trash and a waste of oxygen to the community, forcing them out of their normal lives and having to work with certain people who accepted them for their differences. These two shows have very powerful stories that we suggest watching, since both really show a determination to bring all evil to an end swiftly.

Black Bullet Trailer


Closing Statement

If the world you lived in turned against you, what would you do? Would you help them fend off the very same enemies that gave you their powers? Or would you let them all perish with the hatred burning inside of them? These are probably the questions Clare and the rest of these characters asked themselves throughout their journey. If you have any other anime that you feel are very similar to Claymore and should make the list, be sure to let us know in the comments section down below! And also follow us on twitter for the latest article updates and tweets!

As always for all of your sweet anime needs, keep it locked here on Honey's Anime.

Claymore-dvd-300x418 6 Anime Like Claymore [Updated Recommendations]

Editor/Writer

Author: Rob "NualphaJPN" B.

A passionate fan of gaming, writing, journalism, anime, and philosophy. I've lived in Japan for many years and consider this place to be my permanent home. I love to travel around Japan and learn about the history and culture! Leave a comment if you enjoy my articles and watch me play on twitch.tv/honeysgaming ! Take care!

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Original Article Below

Claymore was a pretty intense and interesting anime because of its dark history and all the mysteries around the Organization. If the story could seem simple at first, with the classic battles against monsters, the truth beyond the main characters and their fate would be really catchy. Especially because of the psychological and dramatic aspects. Moreover, the character design was pretty cool and really appropriate to the atmosphere of the series, particularly to the bloody battle scenes.

If you loved this anime because of all the tragic and mysterious aspects, then I'm sure you will also like the list of anime below ! Of course, it won't be exactly the same, but you will certainly find the same atmosphere as Claymore !

Similar Anime to Claymore

1. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: Apr 2013 – Sept 2013

It should be clear why Shingeki no Kyojin is my first choice. If you haven't seen this anime before, you should watch it right now!

Nearly a century ago, mankind was almost annihilated because of the sudden appearance of Titans, giant creatures who kill humans for pleasure and not really because they need to eat. To protect themselves from this threat, survivors built three concentric walls, big enough to prevent every Titan from coming in. Every wall was named and are distant by thousands kilometers each.

As peace had finally settled, one day, a Titan of 60 meters appears and opens a hole in the first of the three walls. Which allowed a dozen of other Titans to enter the little town where the main character, Eren Yeager, and his friends, were living. After seeing his mother been devoured by one of the Titans, Eren decides to enter the Survey Cops, the military force against Titans, in order to take revenge.

In this series, you have the classic fight against monsters who eat humans that you can find also in Claymore, but not just that. There are a lot of mysteries beyond the military force and also beyond the existence of Titans itself. The bloody and stressful scenes will remind you of the atmosphere in Claymore, so I really recommend this one!


2. Tokyo Ghoul

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: Jul 2014 – Sept 2014

In the peaceful city of Tokyo, anthropophagous monsters called Ghouls appeared, committing crime after crime. As they are living amongst humans, a special police force is settled in order to track and eliminate them.

The story follows Ken Kaneki, an ordinary college student. In a coffeeshop, he met Rize Kamishiro and fell in love with her. As they going out one day, Ken realizes that Rize is actually a Ghoul who manipulated him in order to eat him. While torturing the poor Ken, Rize is suddenly killed by accident and dies. In critical condition, because of all the wounds he received, Ken receives transplants from some of Rize organs at the hospital.

Because of the transplant, Ken becomes a hybrid half-human, half-ghoul, and has to fight his human meat hunger. Fortunately, he will find help in the coffeeshop, “Anteiku”, and learn how to live with his new abilities.

This one is really interesting because the main character becomes a hybrid of what humans are the most afraid of. Because of that, it will discover what are really Ghouls and how some of them aren't so different from humans. Like in Claymore, you can see the perspective from another side than the human's one. The fighting scenes are pretty bloody and some characters are really disturbed. The story is as deep as Claymore's and there is a lot of turnarounds.


3. Blood-C

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: Jul 2011 – Sept 2011

Saya Kisaragi is a high-school student who, despite of being really clumsy, seems like an ordinary young woman. She lives with her father in a shrine and learns swordsmanship.

What Saya's friends are ignoring is that she is more than a simple young woman. After school, at night, she has a particular mission and armed with her sword, she goes fight against creatures called “Furukimono” (or the “Ancient ones” in English). They are mysterious monsters who attack and terrorize humans in the little town.

Saya fights against these creatures along the series, but she begins to wonder about her duty and even her own identity. The mysterious and psychological aspect is pretty similar to Claymore's. Saya's past is unclear and as you watch this series, you realize that the story is deeper than you can think.


Any Animes Like Claymore ?

4. Darker than Black : Kuro no Keiyakusha (Darker than Black : The black contractor)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: Apr 2007 – Sept 2007

Ten years ago, a mysterious area appeared in the city of Tokyo, destroying everything around and even distorting the sky. Because of this area, called Hell's Gate, fake stars appeared, replacing the real ones. Afterwards, individuals with supernatural abilities began to appear, each of them strangely linked to each of the false stars.

These people, named “Contractors”, are nowadays living amongst humans and are mostly used by governments as murderers or spies. Each time a Contractor uses his power, he has to pay a price in return. According to each person, it can be a simple diet change or a radical physical change. Hei is a Chinese Contractor in mission at Tokyo. He is under the orders of a mysterious organization called the Syndicate, which also controls Dolls, beings created to mimic humans.

This series isn't as bloody as Claymore's, but it's still quite violent in some parts. Contractors are more logical than humans and almost emotionless, which is why they are interesting. The Syndicate is said to have no apparent objectives but, like the Organization in Claymore, it isn't that simple and there is a lot of mysteries beyond.


5. Tokko

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: Apr 2006 – Jul 2006

Ranmaru Shindo lives in Tokyo with his little sister, Saya. Because of the dead of his parents five years ago, Ranmaru decided to join the police force Tokki, in order to find out what really happened that day. The day of his graduation, he meets Sakura Rokujo, a young woman, also part of the police force. When he sees her, he realised she is the woman he dreams of every night, armed with a sword and covered in blood.

Sakura Rokujo is part of a special unity called Tokko, on which rumors are saying members aren't even humans and responsible for horrific events.
During his investigations, Ranmaru will discover the truth beyond the tragedy responsible for the death of his parents, which is directly linked with the existence of Tokko's unity.

If you liked Claymore because of the monsters and the bloody scenes, this series is for you. Members of Tokko can be assimilated to Claymores because of their abilities and strength to fight against demons.


6. Blassreiter

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: Apr 2008 – Sept 2008

In the near future, in Germany, “Demoniacs” are bio-mechanical creatures taking possession of corpses and attacking humans. Demoniacs have the ability to merge with any mechanics in order to evolve and become stronger. An unity force, the Xenogenesis Assault Team, also known as the XAT, aims to prevent any threat from them.

During a motorbike Grand Prix, a Demoniac attacks and wreaks havoc on its way. Before the XAT could get in place, a mysterious man known as “Blue” destroys the Demoniac, saving the life of Gerd Frantzen, a famous motorbike champion. Gerd becomes a paraplegic because of the attack, he is offered a miraculous cure which saves him, but makes him become a hybrid. Because of this new status, Gerd will be under the surveillance of the XAT.

In this story, because of the threat represented by Demoniacs, there are some appearances of humans turned into Demoniacs. Some of them are not able to control their powers and like in Claymore, you can find almost the same concept of “awakening”. With the different arcs, the story follows a lot of characters and help you understand how deep and dramatic the concept can be.


This concludes our list! Of course, there may be more anime like Claymore, but this should help your search if you want to watch dramatical anime full of monsters!

Is there an other anime you would like to suggest? Let us know in the comments below!

Claymore-dvd-300x418 6 Anime Like Claymore [Updated Recommendations]

Writer

Author: Nafarik

I am a French girl of 23 years old. I was 7 years old when I saw my first anime and since then I couldn't stop watching anime. This is also the reason I decided to learn Japanese so I entered the university. Just before graduating, I had an opportunity to do an internship in Japan and I was clearly the otaku type, spending a lot of time and money on my passion for anime. As soon as could, I return Japan and here I am now !

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